With a rich history of being one of the most haunted cities in the Midwest, Chicago does not fall short on a haunted spot. Fall is a perfect time to tap into your spooky side.
While Chicagoland is filled with great haunted houses created for the season, you can visit one of these spooky spots all year long.
The Old Joliet Haunted Prison
- Address: 401 Woodruff Road, Joliet
This prison was originally built as a women’s prison in 1896 and is rumored to be haunted. Think grim stories of the murders and other atrocities that happened within its thick walls. During the Halloween season, the grounds and interior of the prison taking advantage of the haunting to be a real haunted house – the Old Joliet Haunted Prison – just in time for spooky season. During the year, you can receive regular tours of the prison.
Country House Restaurant
- Address: 241 W. 55th St., Clarendon Hills
This Clarendon Hills restaurant has an unexplained ghost story. Diners and workers have reported hearing pounding in the walls, seeing shutters open and close and pots and pans move on their own, and hearing screams of crying babies that don’t exist. The haunting is suspected to be a mom who died in an accident.
The Congress Plaza Hotel
- Address: 520 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago
Guests at this Chicago landmark have reported paranormal activity and ghostly sightings on Al Capone and Peg-Leg Johnny, who does more mischief than harm. There are also stories about a young boy thrown out one of the hotel windows with his sibling by his mother, who also jumped to her death. But Room 441 has reportedly seen the most activity, with a female ghost who kicks guests awake. The Michigan Avenue hotel has been named one of the 13 most haunted hotels in the world.
Graceland Cemetery
- Address: 4001 N. Clark St., Chicago
The beautiful, final resting place of some of the most notable Chicagoans has an interesting ghost story surrounding 6-year-old Inez Clarke. As the story goes, she was struck by lightning and killed in 1880. Her parents placed a carved statue of her in a glass box. However, over the years, people have said the statue disappears during lightning storms.
Woolly Mammoth
- Address: 1513 W. Foster Ave., Chicago
Walking into Woolly Mammoth Antiques and Oddities in Andersonville is a bit like walking into a nightmare. The shelves are lined with strange taxidermy (beavers wearing capes, Alligators holding light bulbs in their mouth), real animal bones, human teeth, preserved animal fetuses in jars, clown heads and other bizarre relics that’ll stop you in your tracks.
International Museum of Surgical Sciences
- Address: 1524 N. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago
At the International Museum of Surgical Sciences, discover some of the darkest tools in the history of medicine. Make sure to download the museum’s app when visiting to go on the self-guided tour, Morbid Morsels, where you’ll find sinister secrets throughout the mansion.
Hear more stories on a specialty tour
Get the low down on Chicago’s most gruesome and creepy stories on a ghost tour. There are several options available, including bus tours by Chicago Hauntings and by foot with Gangsters and Ghosts Tours and Weird Chicago. Or do it at night with Windy City Ghosts’ tour in Lincoln Park.Â
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